• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Happy Tot Shelf

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Find an Activity
  • Activity Membership
  • Learning Space
  • Free Printables
  • About HTS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Find an Activity
    • Activity Membership
    • Learning Space
    • Free Printables
    • About HTS
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » DIY Learning Toys

    Published: Nov 19, 2018 · Modified: Jul 17, 2023 by Fynn · All activities should be supervised by an adult. This post may contain affiliate links.

    Milk Carton Chimney - A DIY Kids Advent Calendar

    Inside: Step-by-step tutorial to make this fun kids advent calendar with milk carton. Watch Santa move down the chimney every day!

    Milk carton chimney Christmas countdown
    Jump to:
    • A DIY Christmas Countdown Toy Every December
    • Our most popular kids advent calendar idea ever!
    • What You Need
    • How to Make this Kids Advent Calendar
    • Need more fun and gift-less kids advent calendar ideas?

    A DIY Christmas Countdown Toy Every December

    Creating a fun Christmas Countdown toy every December has officially become a family tradition. This saves me from answering this question "When is Christmas Day?" 12637 times a day and lets my kids have fun counting down to their favorite holiday.

    If you're interested in other DIY countdown ideas, check out this easy Paper Plate Snowman Countdown Craft.

    Our most popular kids advent calendar idea ever!

    Milk carton chimney Christmas countdown

    This Milk Carton Chimney Advent Calendar had over 4.7M views and 75K shares on Facebook last year! I really can't claim credit to this idea. You see, I saw this toy selling at Target. But why buy it when I can make it with the stuff I have at home?

    Have your kid pull out a popsicle stick each day and watch Santa move down the chimney and finally reach your fireplace on Christmas Day!

    Milk carton chimney Christmas countdown
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids

    What You Need

    • 25 6" jumbo popsicle sticks
    • 2 milk cartons
    • A small Santa cutout (around 2" tall)
    • Red and green construction papers
    • Hot glue
    • Duplo blocks to make a cube
    • Stationery like permanent marker, penknife, a pair of scissors, double-sided tape/ glue, ruler
    • A cardboard base

    How to Make this Kids Advent Calendar

    I have a video tutorial here or simply follow the steps below.

    • Cut off the top part of the milk cartons.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • Draw a line 1" from both edges of one side of a milk carton. Cut along the lines and remove the center piece. Repeat this step for the second milk carton.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • Using hot glue, stick both milk cartons (open tops together) together to form a long column.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • With the open column facing you, turn to the right of the column, draw a center line and 25 small lines down the center line, each 0.5" apart.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • With the open column facing you, turn to the left of the column and repeat above step.
    • Using a sharp penknife, make small slits on the 25 small lines on both sides of the column. The slits must be be enough for a jumbo popsicle stick to go through.
    • Enlarge the slits by pushing two jumbo popsicle sticks into each slit. This makes it easier for the children to pull each popsicle stick out.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • Cut 25 small green rectangles, each 0.5" by 1" in size. Fold each small rectangle in half and write numbers 1 to 25 on them. Keep the numbers to one side of the rectangles.
    • Using glue/ double-sided tape, attach each small green rectangle on the end of a popsicle stick, with the numbers hanging down.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • Cut 4 strips of red tape each 1" thick. Paste them on the milk carton columns, where there is an opening. Draw lines to make the column look like a chimney.
    • Cut and draw a fireplace (2.5" tall). Paste it at the bottom of the chimney.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    • Make a cube with the Duplo blocks and stick the small Santa cutout on it.
    • Cut a hole at the top of the column, the hole must be big enough for the Duplo cube to fit in.
    • Using hot glue, secure the chimney on the cardboard base.
    • Now insert the popsicle sticks through the slits, beginning with 1 at the top to 25 at the bottom. The popsicle stick with 25 should end up at the last slit just above the fireplace.
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids
    Christmas Countdown activity for kids

    Your DIY advent calendar is completed!

    Need more fun and gift-less kids advent calendar ideas?

    I rounded up several great ideas to countdown to Christmas here. Share with me how you are counting down to Christmas this year!

    If you're looking for fun learning activities for the Christmas season, try Symmetry Christmas Tree Printing, Dot Stickers Christmas Lights, and this TP Roll Christmas Tree for fun fine motor practice.

    Pin this to your Best Christmas Ideas Board!

    Milk Carton Chimney Christmas Countdown

    Join the Happy Tot Shelf community and get my best learning ideas to nurture a love for learning in your children. Yes please!

    More DIY Learning Toys

    • Happy Tooth, Sad Tooth - A Cute Dental Health Printable Activity for Toddlers
      Happy Tooth, Sad Tooth - A Cute Dental Health Printable Activity for Toddlers
    • Feed the monster letter activity for preschooler
      Feed the Monster Preschool Letter Matching Activity
    • Word family sunflower learning toy
      Paper Plate Sunflower Word Family Activity
    • 20 Learning activities with Bottle caps and pouch lids
      20 Hands-On Learning Activities with Bottle Caps and Pouch Lids

    Sharing is caring!

    124450 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    About Fynn

    Fynn is a Math and Science teacher from Singapore, author of The Happy Learning Book for Siblings and founder of Happy Tot Shelf. She helps parents enjoy home learning with their children through her highly popular kids' activity membership, The Happy Learners' Club. Fynn has been featured in various newspapers, websites and on radio shows as an expert in early childhood learning and creative hands-on learning ideas.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maren Spurgeon says

      November 28, 2018 at 9:14 am

      Would be even more fun with actions or good deeds to perform written on each stick.

      Reply
      • happytotshelf says

        December 05, 2018 at 10:30 pm

        Such a great idea!!!

        Reply
    2. Jenny says

      November 26, 2020 at 9:55 am

      Love this! I would just reverse the number order to reflect a countdown.

      Reply
    3. Cristina says

      November 20, 2021 at 8:04 am

      I love it. Great idea. Very cute.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there! I’m Fynn—educator, author, and mom of three. I believe a lifelong love of learning starts at home, and I’m here to help you nurture that spark. Together, let’s create joyful learning experiences that strengthen bonds and inspire curiosity for both you and your little ones!

    More about me →

    Fall Activities for Kids

    • Fun fall theme preschool activities for kids
      10 Fun & Easy Fall Theme Preschool Activities 
    • 10 simple leaf activities for 2 to 5 year old kids
      Leaf Activities for 2 to 5 Year Olds
    • Learning shelf with farm theme activities for children
      15+ Delightful Farm Theme Preschool Activities
    • Halloween ghost theme color matching activity for toddlers
      15+ Halloween Activities for Preschoolers

    Popular Posts

    • Fun number activities for kids
      10 Low Prep Number Activities for Preschoolers to Play at Home 
    • Haircut Number Game - A fun counting and cutting activity for preschoolers
      Haircut Number Game - A fun counting and cutting activity for preschoolers
    • A collage of Singapore theme learning activities for children
      9 Fun Printable Activities for Kids to Learn about Singapore
    • Easy printable phonics activities for preschoolers
      Learn to Read Part 1: Hands-On Phonics Activities for Preschoolers 

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Fynn
    • Meet the HTS Team
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use

    Resources

    • Activity Index
    • Activity Membership
    • Free Printable
    • Learning Space Course

    Buy my books

    • Sibling Activity Book
    • Happy Learning Math Books

    Copyright © 2023 Happy Tot Shelf

    124450 shares